I Am A Youth

If you are under the age of 18 and have been charged with a criminal offence, Legal Aid Alberta (LAA) can help you.

To Apply For Legal Aid

If a young person wishes to get a lawyer through Legal Aid Alberta or if a Youth Justice Court judge has referred them to LAA, the young person must complete an application. The following steps can help you with this process:

1. Contact your nearest LAA office to find out when you can apply. Some offices require appointments, while others offer walk-in service.
   If you're at the courthouse: You can also apply for legal aid at the courthouse in Calgary and Edmonton. Duty Counsel can also be found at the courthouse, so it may be helpful to speak with them before applying. Duty Counsel provide assistance to young persons and their families at their first court appearance, and who are not represented by a lawyer.

   Calgary	Edmonton
   9:00am – 12:00pm	9:00am – closing of AM youth docket court
   Suite 605-S, Calgary Courts Centre 601 5th Street SW Calgary, AB	4th Floor North, Law Courts Building 1A Sir Winston Churchill Square Edmonton, AB

2. At your interview, you will NOT meet with a lawyer. (Exception: Edmonton Legal Services Centre does have staff lawyers on site who may offer brief services) You will meet with a Legal Aid Officer who will complete your application with you and answer any questions you have about the legal aid process.
3. In most cases you can choose your lawyer and LAA will contact that lawyer to ask if they will accept your case on a legal aid basis. If you do not have a certain lawyer in mind, we can appoint one to you.
   Youth Criminal Defence Office (YCDO): In Edmonton and Calgary, Legal Aid Alberta refers the majority of its youth clients to the Youth Criminal Defence Office. The Youth Criminal Defence Office is a program of LAA that is made up of staff lawyers, social workers, and youth workers that provide legal representation and other services to youth that have been charged with a criminal offence.
   The YCDO can also assist young persons who may not have criminal charges, but who have hearings for traffic matters of appearances before school attendance boards or expulsion hearings. For general information or questions about Youth Criminal Justice issues, please contact the YCDO.
4. If you qualify for full legal aid coverage, your Legal Aid Officer/Interviewer will let you know when you should call your local LAA office to find out which lawyer has accepted your case.
   Eligibility for Youth: If the person with the legal problem is a youth (under the age of 18), the net income of the young person and that of his/her parents (or guardians) will be used to determine financial eligibility.

Typically it takes anywhere from 2 – 7 days for LAA to appoint a lawyer to you.